Marksmanship instruction attachment for firearms



Oct. 12, 1943. P. MINGHETTI 2,331,616

MARKSMANSHIP INSTRUCTION ATTACHMENT FOR FIREARMS v Filed July 11, 1941INVENTOR. Paul Minjheiii BY I V W m A 'I'TORNEYS Patented Oct. 12, 1943MAR-KSMAN SHIP INSTRUCTION ATTACH- MENT FOR FIREARIIS Paul Minghetti,Stockton, Calif. Application July 11, 1941, Serial No. 401,995

4 Claims.

This invention relates in general to an attachment for firearms andespecially rifles; the invention being directed in particular to amarksmanship instruction or checking attachment.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an attachment for afirearm, which enables a person other than the marksman to visuallyobserve and check the alinement of the gun sights simultaneously withthe marksman taking aim; such attachment being arranged so that suchother person can accomplish such check from a point laterally of thefirearm and without interference to the marksman.

A further object of the invention is to provide a checking attachment asabove which includes a transparent and yet reflecting medium disposedacross the line of sight, and at such angle that the observer at alateral point is able to see the front and rear sights of the firearm,together with the target, in the same relation as the marksman.

An additional object is to mount a spirit level on the attachment insuch position that it is not only visible to the marksman but alsoto'the observer; such spirit level being positioned so as to indicateundesirable lateral cant of the firearm to one side or the other.

A further object of the invention is to produce asimple and inexpensivedevice, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposefor which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the attachment as applied to a rifle,the latter being shown somewhat diagrammatically.

Figure 2 is a top plan f the attachment as in use.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross section on line 33 of Fig. 1, showing theattachment removed from the rifle.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawing, the attachment is here shown in place on a rifle whichincludes, as usual, a barrel I, a stock 2, a hand grip 3, a front sight4, and a rear sight 5; the rear sight, as is conventional, being mountedsome distance ahead of the rear end of the barrel.

The attachment which comprises this invention is constructed and mountedas follows:

An elongated strip-like plate 6, which is con cave in cross section thusforming an elongated saddle, is seated on barrel I rearwardly of therear sight 5. The concavity of the plate will of course depend on thesectional shape of the barrel, and if desired the plate may be fittedwith a friction lining l.

The plate 6 may be attached to the barrel in any suitable and convenientmanner, and, for the purpose of illustration, the plate is here se curedin place by a helical tension spring 8 which connects at its ends onheaded pins 9 adjacent the sides of the plate and thence extends aboutthe grip 3 ahead of trigger In. One end of the spring is releasable fromthe corresponding pin to permit removal of the attachment.

Adjacent its forward end plate 6 is fitted with a rigidly mounted,vertical, and transversely extending pane ll of transparent materialsuch as heavy glass; such pane being substantially rectangular andhaving a horizontally disposed spirit level l2 formed therein in a planeabove the normal line of sight along the gun sights.

Rearwardly of fixed pane H and in longitudinally spaced relationthereto, and to each other, I mount a pair of transparent panes l3 and[4 respectively; these panes preferably being of glass polished toproduce a reflective surface, and being of a size so that the reflectivesurface thereof is substantially the same size and configuration as paneII. The reflector panes I3 and I4 are provided with a protective borderor frame l5, and each of said panes is mounted on plate 8 by means of aball and socket IS. The panes I3 and M are in substantial horizontalalinement with pane II, and when in use panes l3 and M are adjusted toopposed acute angles to the line of sight, as shown.

In use, it will be seen that observers to both sides of the rifle, asindicated diagrammatically at l3a and Ma respectively, and withoutinterferin-g with the marksman, have a reflected view in thecorresponding reflector pane of the same elements seen by the marksman;namely, the front and rear sights, the target, and the spirit level l2.It is thus possible for an observer on either side of the rifle, andupon proper adjustment of the corresponding reflector pane, toaccurately check on the marksmans aim, timing, and concentration as wellas his ability to hold the gun without lateral cant. In this wayinstruction of students is greatly facilitated, much time is saved,accuracy is assured, and errors otherwise diflicult to detect are soonascertained and remedied.

The present invention also is useful in connecstill in practice suchdeviations fromcsuchxdetailz may be resorted to as do not form adeparture from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appendedclaims.

Having thus described myinvention; what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1 Incombination. with a firearmincluding, a barrel having. a front. andrean sight mounted thereon; an. elongated. supporting plate. resting,

lengthwise on top. the barrel rearwardl'yn of.v the rear. sight; meanssecuringsaid plate on. the barrel, three upstanding, transverse panesof't iansparent materialidisposedabove. but adjacent said plat'eandinllongit'udinall'y spacedlrelation, means rigidly mounting the forwardpanein connection with the plate, a; normally. hori'zontalispirit levelformed in saidforward; pane adjacent. but clear of the Erie of sight}means mounting the other. panes on-the plate for universal-adjiistment;the forwardl fa ce. of. said other. panes forming, reflectings'urf'aces,.-andI said; other. panes. intersecting, the. lineofsightandbeing. disposed; at opposite acute angles thereto.

2'. In combination with a firearm including. a. barrel having. a. frontand. rear sight mbuntied. thereon; apan'eof! transparenhmaterial',means. mounting, said pane in upstanding transverse. position on. topofthe barrelireaiiwardly ot the. rear sight, theforward surface of sai'dpane forming. a reflecting surface, said Dane intersecting. and beingdisposed at an acute angle to the line of sight, another pane oftransparent;- material, means mounting said'oth'er. pane in upstandingtransverse position on top of the'barrel at right angles theretointermediate said first named pane and the rear sight, said other paneintersecting the line of sight, and a normally horizontal transversespirit level formed in said other pane within the field of vision ofsaid reflecting surface of said first named pane and adjacent but abovethe line of sight, whereby an observer at a lateral point relative tosaid first named pane may simultaneously view an image of. said sights;and an image of-tliespirit level in said 'refiec-ting surface.

3. In combination with a firearm including a barreh having a.- front andrear sight mounted thereom'a pane of transparent material, meansmounting said pane in upstanding transverse position on= top of thebarrel rearwardly of the rear. sight theiorward surface of said paneforming a reflecting surface, said pane intersecting andbeing disposedat an acute angle to the line of sight,. a normally, horizontaltransverse, spirit 1evel,',means. mounting; said" level. on. top oi.the. barrel. ahead of? said, pane within; thefield' of; vision.ofisaidireffecting, surface .thereofladiacent. but clearofthelineofisiglitg whereby. an observer at alateral point relativet'osaid'panemay view an image of'saidl sights and. an. adjacent ima eoffsaid spirit" level in saidlrefi'ecting surface; said,

name being, mountedlior. universal adjustment,

' 4;.In combination with a firearmjncluding a barrelihaving, a front.and rear sight, mounted

